In a magnetic recording apparatus using a tape in general, the driving power of a capstan motor is transmitted to a take-up reel base via a gear to rotate the take-up reel base to wind up (advance) the tape. In this connection, the reel base is provided with a gear in an integral form, and the rotating speed of the reel base is changed by changing the number of revolutions of the capstan motor. More specifically, the capstan motor is rotated at a low speed in the play mode (normal play) to rotate the reel base at a low speed, and it is rotated at a high speed in the fast winding mode to rotate the reel base at a high speed.
In order to not only maintain the torque applied to the tape in a constant value but also absorb variations in the number of revolutions of a reel caused by changes in the take-up diameter in the play mode, the above-indicated magnetic recording apparatus includes a friction gear positioned between the capstan motor and the reel bases to effect a frictional motion. In the fast winding mode, the frictional motion is withheld because the tape must be wound under a greater torque than in the play mode.
On the other hand, in a digital audio player, VTR or other apparatus of a type configured to wind a tape on a rotary head to effect various modes, tape unloading is effected using a gear arrangement from the capstan motor to the reel base as described above. More specifically, the rotating power of the capstan motor is transmitted to a supply reel base via the friction gear in the tape unloading mode, so as to rotate the supply reel base in the opposite direction to the direction in the play mode to wind up the tape. In this case, the take-up reel base is held in a braked condition..
However, in case that tape unloading is effected by using the gear arrangement from the capstan motor to the reel base as described above, since the friction gear exists midway of the gear arrangement, there is a possibility that the frictional motion of the friction gear decreases the take-up torque and disables complete tape unloading.